Send us Fan Mail

If your first few attempts at self-producing your music have left you feeling like throwing in the towel, this episode is for you. Jess Magoch is an award winning Philadelphia based Hip Hop/Jazz artist who decided it was time to become more independent through developing her skills in recording and production. But as Jess shares in her chat with Isobel, it wasn’t a straightforward process.

It took patience, practice and self-compassion for Jess to gradually build up her production chops and, eventually, she and other people couldn’t believe how good her recordings were sounding. In fact, a major sync exec for brands like Vogue and Vanity Fair was blown away by Jess’ production skills. What’s even better is that Jess now feels 100 X more confident, independent and excited about her music moving forward.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{0:00} Intro
{06:40} How Jess got started in music and how she used it to find her voice
{11:30} Why you’re never ‘too old’ to pursue your music
{18:00} The moment when a major sync exec was blown away by Jess’s production skills
{24:39} The process of learning and taking action is more important than the ‘perfect’ outcome
{34:24} The most important lessons Jess has learned from recording and and producing her music
{40:45} How learning these skills has allowed Jess to communicate her ideas with confidence and produce her music on her terms
{58:07} Jess shares the plans for her forthcoming album, Trivial Pursuit, and her advice for other DIY musicians
{01:03:36} Episode Summary

Pre-order Jess’s new album, Trivial Pursuit >>

Download Jess’s unreleased song for FREE >>

Find out more about Jess and follow her journey >> 

---------------------------------------------------

Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026. 

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.